A hazardous chemical spill near a loading dock at Exeter High School caused the school to be placed on“soft lock-down” and then evacuated last week, according to Seacoast Online. No students were injured, but two staff members were treated for symptoms of chemical exposure.
According to school officials, a custodian noticed the sulfuric acid spill while working near the loading dock. He reported a strong smell that grew worse as he stood in the area near the trash compactor. The local fire department was called to examine the scene, and students and teachers were put under a “soft lock-down,” a procedure that requires everyone to stay where they are until a dangerous issue can be sorted out.
Rescue workers searched the scene and found a bottle of sulfuric acid inside the trash compactor. The bottle had probably been mistaken for empty when it was thrown away, but it still contained some of the highly corrosive acid, which leaked out when pressure from the trash compactor broke the container. Students and teachers were evacuated as rescue workers contained the spill and monitored the area throughout the afternoon.
Chemical exposure can occur in a variety of places and as a result of many types of accidents such as construction accidents and automobile crashes, and cause serious injury. If you’ve been injured at work or school, please don’t hesitate to call the skilled New Hampshire personal injury attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. Call us today at (888) 332-5855 for a free and confidential consultation by telephone.